Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1887-07-29
ATTLEBORO, FRIDAY, JULY 20, 1887.

clutches Of modern Procrustes while the
mineralogist and Don Celestino slept feet
TO feet upon long bench, their knees
bent double TO afford sufficient room.
Somewhere about the middle Of the night,
when the bats were softly whirrng about
the room, the cockroaches rustling on the
floor, and the centipedes crawling out from
the rotten woodwork and thatch, the nat
uralist heard a sudden rasping sound in the
direction of that double couch, followed
by heavy fall, and wicked exclamation,
Hdysoori in the Don's grulfest tones.
We all had retired, as usual, with our
garments girt about us and our arms at
hand the naturalist, in fact, slept in his
sdrdpe, his head through the central slit,
and belt containing revolver and carving
knife drawn tightly round the waist. He
had grown so accustomed to feeling the
pressure of the revolver on his loins that
he would have been uncomfortable without
IT, Hearing the strdent snore Of Celes-
tino interrupted by his harsher oath, he in
stinctively clapped his hand upon his belt
where he could grasp the ivory handle Of
the cuchilo and have thumb and finger
ON the pistOie.
Scuiiling ensued, which might have been
A. and the Mexican in deadly strife, but
which hastily lighted candle revealed TO
be the stranger trying TO regain his feet.
Profuse apologies followed from A, who
had been the cause of the mishnp for it
seems that he had gathered up his legs in
his sleep and had suddenly Strengthened
them out, thereby shunting the noble Cas-
tilian off the bench upon the floor with "A
velocity that nearly drove his head through
the mud-pastered wall Of the hut
Like Abdallah, in the Arabian Nights, '
he had been building castles-of horn sill
yer he had been elected president Of the
Malinaltepec- MonteZuma Horn-silver Gold
washing, Mining and Smelling company
he sat in the inner room Of the New York
Office at a rosewood desk, above which
hung the hammer he had nickcd the cliff
with cleaning in a gilded coat Il man
approached with proposition 10 water the
stock Of the company to ten millions and
it was at this moment, filled with an indig
nation more than vlrtuous, that A. drew
back his foot and let it fly, with 81 spurn
your base and projected our naughty
Don into space. We feared that following
out the Abdallah simile, he had smashed
our wares in kicking Cclestino; but that
worthy cared not for kicks, 50 his stomach
was filled, and at breakfast satiated him
self with guod things until his little black
eyes fairly stood out beneath his heetlinp
brows
1t was cool every morning, though hot
at midday, and rainy afternoons and even
ings, in that anomalous Malinaltepec. A.
the sun rose, the chief and | wandered
down to the river and hathed in quiet
pool at the base Of the cliff, without even
IA word of our new y-acquired fortune. Be
ing a millionaire isn't such very oppres
sive fact, after ALL provided you are not
+ burdened with the care of the money.
/ We followed the Don, that forenoon in
/ to another secluded district, several league,
away, where, he said, the precious meta
| was abundant but where We saw neither
/ trace nor sign. But while he was other
/ wise looking for gold | secured some fin,
| butterflies, 50 our journey was not wholly
/ pruiitless. On our way back n rabbit cross
| ed our path, which the Don declared AN rN
ccllent sign--sigu Of gold and this led hin
ON To whisper 10 us, IN casual way, Of {
! robbers cave, beneath the cliffs Of tn,
/ Convent, containing without doubt, a
least million dollars As he WAS the only
person possessing that secret, also, our con
| fidencc in him began 10 cool. \ suggestion
that he may he fraud, acts as IA little
leaven in the mind of the mineralogist anC
he thinks and thinks, all TO himself but a
last imparts to Us the result Of his cogita
tiuns
BOYS ne AT iast broke iorth' ! nave
n horrlole suspicion that thG one we diScoN
ered Yesterday may not pe norm siINer
put
we rem up our horses WIN JERK ah'
await WIN suspense MS colciuu''ig WoIGSI .a
but oily ""'"''','"'' "nIch' NerH'eu
reduces Us at once from a'huehce 10 com
paratiNe poverty IN la't' II 49, we arr
Just iorty ihillioh dollars "ut ol pocket
Aias Tor the VANITY oi human hoPes
one moment iiliil0naiie' 'he neNV IA